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FAQ
1. Are you a non-profit?
Yes, Journey Home Animal Rescue is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 status.
2. What are your hours and where are you located?
We are a foster-based rescue, headquartered in Grand Forks ND. We do not have a physical location, as our dedicated fosters and volunteers open their personal homes to the animals in need. Hours are by appointment only. Location for meet and greets varies and are established with what works best for each situation. We also partner with our local Grand Forks PetSmart to house some of our cats. They are available to meet during store hours, as the employees have time to show them. All adoption requirements still apply.
3. Do you have a no-kill policy?
We are a foster-based organization that prides itself on giving our rescue pets the best possible care. We do not euthanize animals just because they have been in rescue for a long period of time or if they have big medical or behavioral needs. We pride ourselves on pursuing the best veterinary care for all of our pets and take professional recommendations if a rescue pet's best interest is at stake or an end to their suffering needs to be considered. Euthanizing is a means to a respectful end for those in pain, not a solution for fewer expenses or our responsibility for our animals.
4. How do I reach you?
We have a team of volunteers that help us monitor our emails as often as possible. We do not have a public phone number at this time and will answer emails as quickly as we can. We encourage you to utilize the resources on our page to learn more about us and individual animals. Please read our website thoroughly as questions are often answered there. If you have a specific question about a rescue animal, please note those in your adoption application. We are fortunate to have a high amount of interest in our rescue animals and appreciate your patience.
Email: info@journeyhomeanimalrescue.org
Please do not send messages through Facebook messenger. We do not have the time or volunteers to respond to every message and comment. Our Facebook along with the website, is a public hub for details. The best way to reach us is through your adoption application or email. Any adoption or adoptable pet related inquiries will be responded to once an adoption application is approved.
5. Where can I drop off donations? (blankets, food, medicine, money, etc)
Thank you for your donation! We appreciate your support, all donations can be dropped off at our supporters:
· Treat, Play, Love: 1905 S Washington St B, Grand Forks, ND 58201
· All Pets Hospital: 5030 Gateway Dr, Grand Forks, ND 58203
· Stay and Play Pet Resort: 7254 S Washington St, Grand Forks, ND 58201
6. I need a receipt for my donation or corporate donation. Can you send me one?
Thank you for donating! Please email info@journeyhomeanimalrescue.org to receive confirmation of your donation and a receipt.
7. There is a pet in need of help or I know someone who needs to surrender their pet, what can I do?
Thank you for reaching out for help. Please submit as many details as you can to info@journeyhomeanimalrescue.org. Include description of their personality, photos, and any background you may have. A JHAR Coordinator will reach out as soon as we can help. Due to the number of requests we receive and the availability of our foster teams, our ability to help will vary.
8. I want to volunteer or foster, how do I get started?
Please visit the pages for fostering and volunteering on our website. There you will find information on how you can help and the application to get started. We look forward to having you join our life saving efforts!
9. If I foster can I still adopt my foster?
Yes! Welcome to the Foster Failure Club. However, the adoption of your first foster is not permitted. The foster program is designed to generate and support repeat fosters for rescue animals in need of placement. The process of becoming a foster is not designed for adoption and is dependent on fosters continuing to foster with us when able. Fosters are required to follow the same application process as all other adopters. Foster’s applications are processed in the order received per our usual standard.
10. I adopted from JHAR before and would like to adopt again, what’s next?
That is wonderful news! Send an email to the Adoption Coordinator regarding the pet you’re interested in. Also, have your vet email your current pet’s records to journeyhomeinfo@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you again soon!
11. I just have a quick question about a pet before I apply, who do I contact?
We suggest that you fill out an application. There is no obligation to adopt once you learn more about the pet or meet them. Due to the volume of emails we receive, we do not have time to answer every question regarding how big a dog will get or what we think it’s mixed with. All information we have on the pets will be in their profile. We try to update often as we learn more about the pet. Another great way to learn more, is to watch our event page for meet and greets with our wonderful rescues.
12. I have been in contact and approved through your Adoption Coordinator but have not found the right match yet. What do I do if I see another rescue I am interested in?
You’ve been approved- that’s great! If you see another rescue animal you’re interested in and already have an approved application on file, please email our Adoption Coordinator directly at journeyhomeinfo@gmail.com. We only need one adoption application on file and it is good for one year (unless your information changes, then we do ask you to reapply).
13. I want to adopt a puppy or kitten. Can I meet the whole litter and choose?
Once your adoption application is approved, applicants choose a puppy or kitten based on the pet’s website profile. Animals are posted on our website as early as 6 weeks old but cannot be adopted until they have been spayed/neutered at 9 weeks old for puppies or 3 months for kittens. We accept applications on our animals at 6 weeks of age and that puppy/kitten is considered "pending" for adopters. We do not allow visits with our litters of puppies until the animals have had 2 rounds of vaccinations to help with immunity.
Too many visitors can jeopardize a litter’s health and cause animals to become sick. Once the animal is ready, adopters can decide if they would like to finalize adoption at that time. Each animal in a litter will only have one applicant signed up to meet them, we do not accept multiple applicants for our rescues. In the unlikely event the applicant does not finalize adoption at the meet, we move to the next interested applicant.
14. What does the adoption fee cover?
Our adoption fees go toward the care of the animals! All animals receive age appropriate shots and are spayed/neutered prior to adoption. Dogs and puppies over 6 months of age are 4DX tested. All animals are microchipped.
15. Can I get a discount on the adoption fee?
Our fees are non-negotiable. If you cannot afford an adoption fee, we suggest that you research the costs involved in pet ownership. Veterinarians are a good resource to contact if you would like to know the costs involved in pet ownership. The adoption fee is only the beginning!
16. What can I expect after I am approved and ready to meet an animal?
Once you’re approved, the Adoption Coordinator will have the Foster reach out to set up a meet. You must be able to adopt the rescue animal when the animal and foster are available. We will not hold the animal any longer than one week. The meet and greet and adoption timeline depend on when the rescue arrived and their age. Our young animals are posted 10 days to 3 weeks in advance and cannot be adopted until surgeries and vaccinations have been completed for their age. With all of our other animals, the meets and adoptions can happen within days of initial approval, so please apply when you are ready to adopt, as we cannot hold dogs for vacations, moving, etc.
17. Can you hold an animal for a future adoption if I am not immediately available or have a vacation coming up?
We cannot hold animals beyond the 24 hour period after the initial meeting of the animal. Please communicate with the adoption coordinator and our team when you are available to bring home your animal and we can help schedule meets once you are available to adopt. We rely on the availability of our fosters to bring more wonderful animals to safety. If we held animals due to adopters' schedules we would be limited on who we can help.
18. Do I have to have a fenced yard to adopt?
We do not require a fence to adopt most of our dogs. However, there may be some dogs that require a fence. If you do not have a fence, we will ask questions about your safety plan when your dog is outside.
19. Can I adopt if I don’t live in North Dakota?
Yes, you can. We do not have a radius that adopters must live in to adopt from us. We do still require a home visit and can do this virtually in many cases. We do not ship our dogs and do require that applicants are able to come to our area in a timely manner to meet the pet they are interested in. If the pet ever needs to be returned back to Journey Home, the adopter is also required to make those arrangements.
20. What training am I required to give my rescue dog/puppy once adopted?
Included in our adoption agreement is a clause that we require our adopters to do in-home training or enroll in obedience classes for all dogs/puppies. We feel strongly that obedience classes help strengthen bonds, communication, and enhance basic obedience. Regardless if a person has completed an obedience class with a prior pet, each dog should enroll in a class or go through training with their adopter to help set the adoption up for success.
21. I am interested in multiple pets, how can I set up multiple meets?
Our adopters can meet multiple pets, however we focus on one pet per adopter at a time. We will set up your first meeting with your first choice. You will have 24 hours after each meeting to decide if you would like to move forward or pass to meet your next choice. A great way to meet multiple rescues at once is to attend one of our community events.
22. Can I adopt more than one rescue at a time?
We love the enthusiasm! For dogs, we do recommend adopting one pet at a time to help them acclimate and help them create a routine and settle into their new home. We recommend waiting 6 months between dogs. Please keep us in mind when you are ready to adopt again. For cats, we DO recommend adopting in pairs, especially with kittens or bonded adults. Two is always better than one but it also comes with twice the expense, so please take this into consideration.
23. Can I adopt littermates?
-Puppies : We recommend researching "littermate syndrome". There is research that recommends not to adopt littermates into the same family as the animals tend to build a bond with each other and are not with the family. They are also much more likely to develop unwanted behavioral issues. Based on the research, we do not allow littermates to be adopted into the same family.
-Kittens: Kittens are best in pairs and we encourage adopting littermates. When your kitten has a friend, they’ll always be entertained, active, and enriched. And a happy cat makes a happy home!